Adventist Church in France Calls for Blood Donations After Attack in Nice, France

The Adventist Church in Europe has responded to the attack in Nice, France, which killed at least 84 people, including many children, and left a further 50 in critical condition. The attack took place on the evening of Thursday, 15 July, when a lorry drove through a crowd during Bastille Day celebrations. Three members of one Adventist family were among the injured.

Pastor Raafat Kamal, President of the Trans-European Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, said, “It is with shock and grief we wake up to the news about the tragedies in Nice.” He said the church was reminded of its mission “to speak and live the great hope of Jesus Christ and His soon return,” and added, “Our prayers are with those who are grieving for the loss of their loved ones that they may be comforted.”

Adventist leadership in the region issued a more local statement calling for unity: “This is the time to unite and stand up against all forms of hatred, violence and conflict. This is the time to recognize that we are all brothers and sisters, children of the same Father.”

Pastor Ruben de Abreu, President of the Adventist Church in France, said he was shocked by the tragedy but that it “can be also an opportunity for Adventists in Nice to demonstrate their solidarity and involvement in society.” In a statement released by the Inter-European Division Press Office, he said, “It is not enough to pray for the victims’ families. It is necessary to respond positively to the request of blood donation.” He described donating blood as “an elementary act of compassion especially when emergencies occur,” a call made in response to local hospitals’ requests for donations. Seven Adventist members were injured in the attack. Three from one family were hospitalised with non-life-threatening injuries.

Adventist churches in France were to hold special services on Saturday, 16 July. In Nice, Pastor de Abreu was to lead a special worship service, joined by Pastors Daniel Monachini and Philippe Aurouze, the president and treasurer of the Southern France Conference.

The church also referred to other recent violence. The source lists major suicide bombings in Baghdad and other parts of Iraq, and attacks in Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria and Turkey. An Adventist Church compound in South Sudan was sheltering 3,000 internally displaced people who did not feel safe in their homes, a number the source said was expected to rise to 5,000 overnight. ADRA and other Adventist staff were providing what support they could and were appealing for help. The church also expressed sympathy for the people of Turkey, where an attempted coup over the weekend had caused deaths and injuries.

Pastor Ted Wilson, President of the world Adventist Church, posted on Facebook after recent deaths in the United States and France. He wrote, “Please pray for peace and stability around the globe,” and said his sympathy went to “those who were simply celebrating a special day in France and have been traumatized by senseless deaths.” Wilson also urged members to “renew our relationship with the Lord every day so we can be ready to provide a witness for Him in whatever strange development may occur wherever we may live.”

Source: Read the original report